We Could Be Heroes
by moon eclipse shadows
Summary: The first time Mikayla meets Cowabunga Carl he's being attacked by her nephew. The second time she's trapped in an elevator. You would think it would be more difficult to run into the same person over and over in a city as big as New York. But fate has a way of interfering with life, and sometimes the best heroes are found where you least expect them.
1. Start

Welcome all! Hope you enjoy the story. ;) I know I've enjoyed writing it. (Oh, and Ninja Turtles? Don't own it.)

* * *

I watched with amusement as my nephew Kevin, apparently growing bored with the provided entertainment, decided he would find much more amusement in tackling the performer instead.

I could almost see exactly how Kevin's feelings on this matter progressed, just from his facials expressions. Finally his mouth widened into the most evil expression you could ever find on a 7 year-old's face and he leapt forward. "Yahhhhh!" he yelled out as he tangled his small frame amongst the costumed man's legs. The man let out a startled yell as he toppled over. Some of Kevin's more enthusiastic friends took this as an invitation to join in and they too jumped into the fray.

Seeing as I was a safe distance from the commotion, it was hard not to giggle as the boys wrestled with each other, almost as if forgetting that Cowabunga Carl was involved in their struggle. Only Kevin seemed aware of that fact. And he cackled somewhat insanely while keeping a tight grip on the man's ankles.

Taking pity on the man, I decided to call off the boys. "Cake time!" I called out. It worked like a charm. The boys vanished incredibly quickly, heading towards the kitchen. I actually had to move out of the way in order to prevent being stampeded.

I headed after them to help with the distribution; I had a feeling that if left to their own devices some sort of disaster would follow. After the noisy chorus of happy birthday I cut pieces of cake as quickly as I could.

It was funny to see how quickly the boys calmed once they started easy. Of course, once the sugar hit their system they would resume being just as crazy as ever. I swiped a slice and poked my head back into the living room. Cowabunga Carl was busy picking up his props. His oversized headed was sill crooked and off center from the boys' attack.

I made my way over, stepping over a couch pillow that had found its way halfway across the room. "Sorry about that," I said. "Kevin can be kind of a handful sometimes. And it seems his friends are the same way."

"Eh, it comes with this line of work," Cowabunga Carl responded. "They're just playing. Trust me, it's when they start treating me like a piñata that I start to worry."

His positive and easygoing attitude was contagious, and I could help but smile. However, his tilted costume head was starting to drive me crazy with its lopsided grin. "It certainly sounds like it would be time to work," I agreed. "Hold on a sec," I set the cake I was holding down and reached over to adjust his head. I only took a small nudge to get it back to being centered. At the time I didn't really notice how he tensed up.

"Sorry, you're head was lopsided," I said with a grin. "After all this craziness I think my brain is just begging for some kind of order." I noticed his arms were slightly raised, hands gripping the bottom of the headpiece. "It's fixed now," I assured him. "Oh, and I brought this out for you." I grabbed the cake and held it out.

His hands reached out automatically before he pulled them back. "Nah, can't eat on the job," he said, the disappointment in his voice at odds with his costumed face's smiling expression.

"Ah, of course. So, do you go by Carl when you're not working?" I asked curiously.

He laughed. "Michelangelo actually."

I raised an eyebrow. "I don't think I've ever actually met a Michelangelo before. I'm Mikayla, by the way." I held out a hand, as what is normal when you introduce yourself, although the three-fingered glove that he wore made the handshake a little different than usual. "Are you named after the artist?" I asked.

"My dad's a Renaissance fan," he replied in explanation. "So what's your job here, dudette?"

"Mostly just a little extra supervision. And dessert, I suppose. But now that everyone's in one place it's being handled fine without me. Kevin, the birthday boy, is my nephew, so that's what brings me here." I laughed. "It also means that I too know from personal experience how much of a handful he can be sometimes. It always ends up being entertaining…" I mused.

"But if he were a zombie we would all die?" Michelangelo finished. This time I was pretty sure that his expression would have matched his costume. There was a playfulness to his voice that hinted at a grin.

My first reaction was to chuckle, and then I laughed again as I thought more about it. The idea rang true. I could very easily Kevin in my mind's eye chasing, attacking, and climbing anyone who happened to catch his interest in what could definitely be called a zombie like manner. "We probably be doomed," I giggled. "I might not be able to distract him with cake and without that I doubt we'd survive."

My eyes landed on the clock and that drew me out of my laughter. It was almost 7, and I was pretty sure we had told Cowabunga Carl, Michelangelo that is, that we would only need him until 6. "Just a sec, I'll be right back."

I left to find my sister, and hopefully to get the money we owed to Michelangelo. I grabbed the cake as I left the room, determined to cover it and send some home with the party entertainer.

By this time Kevin and his friends had finished eating and were now outside getting ready to attack the piñata. Kevin's dad was outside supervising, so I was still free to wander about. It didn't take me long to find my sister.

"Hey 'Kay," she greeted me. "Tired yet?" Our relationship had always been amiable, even though we had never been all that close due to the fact that Michelle was eight years older than me. Now that we were both older we were slowly becoming better friends in the short periods of time that Michelle could spare from her work, husband, and child.

"It's been fun!" I insisted with a smile. "And only a little bit crazy." I then reminded her about the time.

Michelle looked at her phone briefly to double-check the time. "It is a bit later than we had planned," she mused, sounding surprised. She walked over to a small table that was sheltered in a nook away from the birthday chaos to grab her purse.

I watched as she casually grabbed a small stack of twenties and handed them over. "This should cover everything," she said, "There's some for the extra time and there's a nice bonus. He did a good job. And thanks for reminding me."

"No problem," I said with a grin. I stacked a couple more large pieces of cake onto the plate I still held and covered if with plastic wrap. There was still quite a bit of cake left, but somehow I had a feeling that Kevin could make it disappear.

By the time I returned to the living room Michelangelo had finished gathering his props and all the cushions were off the floor and back on their respective couches. He turned as I walked in. "Well, I should probably be heading out. Do you guys need anything else?"

"Nope, that's it," I said, shaking my head. "Sorry we kept you so late," I apologized. "But I think this covers everything." I handed him the wad of cash.

He counted it quickly. "Oh, you gave me too much, even if you calculate the extra hours…"

"No, that's how much we wanted to give you. And here," I proceeded in handing over the plate of cake as well. "Hope you like it, I made it myself." I said with a grin. "Thanks for all your help."

He bowed with a flourish, still keeping the plate of cake evenly balanced. "Thank _you_, dudette."

The effect was both sweet and slightly comical combined with the large grinning turtlehead he wore, and I noticed that a small smile was still on my face even after his van had driven out of sight.

* * *

So there we have it. I am the least confident person in the world when it comes to writing other people's characters, so I hope this worked ok. This is meant to be somewhat of a drabble series…. Chapters will generally be 500-1000 words long. They will generally be longer though, and this way you guys get an update at least once a week. ;) And since it's Friday…I guess it will be Fridays! :D Reviews will make my weekend. ;)


	2. Look Around

Thank you to: number1fanficfan, Issy, cheshirekadi, StormyNight108, and Muse2488 for all your wonderful reviews. It fills me with little bubbles of joy. And just to let everyone know, updates are once a week on Fridays. (It's….11pm on Thursday here….that's almost Friday, right? XD )

This is a bit of a filler chapter. Background info mostly. This story began as kind of a drabble series, but ends up getting progressively longer chapters. So that's why this one is so short.

Disclaimer: Don't own TMNT. Alas. Que lastima.

* * *

The bells hanging from the doorknob jingled as I walked in the store.

"Merry meet," the woman said with a smile. "Oh, hey baby."

"Hi mom," I said, walking over to the counter. I've always been told I look like my mother, ever since I was little. Lately she's been getting her hair colored lighter brown than usual, and I've been dying mine red so there's one difference. I'm also a little taller than her, and I've always been envious of her blue eyes. Those eyes were currently lit up and crinkled with laugh lines at the corners.

"What do you need?" My mother asked, leaning over the counter while shuffling a deck of cards.

"I just stopped by to pick up some flowers for Christi. I'm visiting her today." I smiled slyly. "And I thought I might pick up some tea for myself?"

My mother laughed. She twirled around, almost dancing across to store to pick up a small pot of colorful flowers. "Aster," she explained. "Promotes healing. How has Christina been doing?"

"A lot better," I said, while scanning the shelves for tea. "She going to be released from the hospital in a couple days, right now she's mostly just bored." I spooned a rose lemon loose-leaf tea into a small metal tin, adding some strawberry pieces and violets from some other containers. I shook the mixture, and smelled it. Mmmmm.

My mother's store had always been strange. It focused on herbal remedies and Wiccan traditions, with a couple of other things thrown in for flair. It was her passion, and something, she told me, that always reminded her of my father. I didn't know much about him other then that.

"Here you are," my mother said, handing over the flowers. "Wait." She held up a hand. "I got some new cards. Let me do a reading for you."

"Mom…" I started. "I don't really have time for this."

"It won't take long. And besides, it's your birthday." She winked. "Good luck to know what's ahead of you."

I decided to concede. "Alright, what do I do?"

She had me pick out a couple cards, and she lay them down in an elaborate pattern. Eyes closed she flipped over one last card.

Her straight gaze and narrowed eyebrows mirrored an expression I had seen on my own face, studious, concentrating.

Even though I usually didn't believe any of this, her slight frown worried me. "It looks like you have some big choices ahead of you. You will discover a new strength, but it may upset some things in your life. Be careful….There's something else new too. Perhaps there's romance in your future?" Her voice had turned playful and teasing. "Give Christina my blessings."

I held in my sigh. These things always seemed to end this way. It was always hard to tell if my mother was being serious or just teasing me. "I will. Love you, and I'll see you later."

I brushed the whole thing off. But if I had stayed a little longer I might have seen the frown return to my mother's face as she continued to study the foretold future that might just be the end of me.

* * *

Yeah…Really short, and no Mikey *gasp!* It just seemed like a good stopping point? (*hides from disgruntled readers*)

Anyways…Next chapter is longer, promise. And, because I feel guilty about how short this is, if I get at least 3 reviews for the chapter I'll give you guys an extra update and I'll update on Wednesday AND next Friday. And if I get 5 reviews I'll update as soon as the fifth one comes in. Which means if you guys get to it, you could see the next chapter tomorrow. ;) It's much longer, and may or may not include a certain turtle. If not, I'll keep updating on Fridays as usual :)

And if you're at a loss for what to say, I ask you this: What's something you want to see happen in this story? Or something you're looking forward to? Any guesses for what's going to happen? ;)


	3. How Wonderful

Here's the extra Wednesday update as promised ;)

Disclaimer: TMNT=not mine

* * *

Today was my 20th birthday.

And it must be a week for birthdays, because it had only been three days since Kevin's birthday party.

I didn't really have much planned. I was go to visit my friend today, and was going out with my family later that night, but anything bigger than that I was saving for the weekend. Twenty wasn't really that big a birthday anyways. It was kind of the awkward "now you're an adult…but I guess you technically were one already" kind of thing. Nineteen had already felt like leaving my teen years behind.

Still, something about today was exciting, electrifying. There was a strange sense of anticipation.

I walked into the hospital cheerfully. I almost thought about attempting to whistle, but figured that would be overdoing it, especially since I couldn't really whistle.

It was only a short elevator ride to the 7th floor.

"Hey there!" I said cheerfully to my best friend. "How's it going?"

Christina grinned wryly. "Hey there birthday girl," She waved me inside. "I'm doing pretty good. They said they'll release me tomorrow." She winked, "Hope the world's ready."

"For you? Never," I laughed. "Do you feel better?"

"Just about," she replied. She scrunched her face. "Apparently my body really likes to try to get infected. It happened with my piercings, it happened with my appendix. Luckily it cleared up pretty fast, but I still had to stay here longer. And let me tell you, the food here sucks. "

I giggled. "Aw, poor thing. Do they not feed you sugar by the spoonful here?"

She looked mildly offended. "I'm not that bad! …Did you happen to bring anything?"

"You addict." I shook my in mock shame. "I'm pretty sure that's against hospital regulations or something. I'll take you out somewhere when you're better though, okay?"

Christina tossed her head back as regally as she could while in a hospital gown. "I'm holding you to that."

"You do that. In the meantime…," I paused to rummage through my large purse. "Here you go. I brought you some books. And my mom sends her blessings. And these." I handed over the small pot of pink, purple, and white flowers. "They're supposed to help with healing."

She smelled them before placing them on the small table next to the hospital bed. "Flowers are always welcome."

I smiled gratefully at her nonchalance.

I stayed for about a half an hour more, talking about school, birthday plans, and the day to day activities of life. Somehow Christina seemed to have a drama filled love life even when she was in the hospital.

* * *

I jerked my hand back from the elevator call button. I had felt a kind of shock, kind of like static electricity, but a little more painful. I shook my hand, as if trying to shake away what had happened. I brushed the event off though as the elevator doors opened in front of me.

My phone started to beep right then, which meant it was either being called or dying, so I was paying more attention to digging through my purse to find it than anything else.

"Ground floor?" a somewhat familiar male voice asked.

I looked up to see Cowabunga Carl standing in front of me. Michelangelo, that is. _Oh hi! _I said smoothly, not missing a beat. Ha, I wish.

Actually I just kind of stood there, brain mysteriously blanking. If I had been in his position I would have given me a strange look, a single brow raised in inquiry.

But since he was wearing a mask, I could only imagine what his expression might look like (which, by the way, is really difficult when you don't have a face to work with). My reddening face, however, was clearly visible I finally reconnected and said, "Yes! Ground floor. Hi!"

I'm pretty sure it was more the sudden surprise that threw me off balance. I attempted to collect myself, brushing back the hair from my face with one hand and bracing myself against the elevator wall with the other.

"Ah!" I said sharply, more out of frustration than anything else. I stood straight up, getting away from the elevator wall as fast as I could as I was shocked yet again. This time the shock felt even stronger.

Michelangelo, it seemed, had reflexively stepped towards me. "Whoa! You okay?"

I grinned wryly. "I just keep getting shocked today," I said, looking up at the oversized head of his costume. The lights flickered.

"Bummer! Hey-" The lights flickered one more time and then quit completely, and at the same time the elevator dropped several feet.

I shrieked as I was thrown off balance and into Michelangelo. Unlike me he had managed to keep his balance, even as I knocked into him.

He was the only thing that kept me from crashing to the floor. Strong hands gripped my shoulders and held me up. He released me quickly, placing me back on my feet and then stepping back.

"Thanks," I said quietly.

"Uh, no problem!" He said, his tone as cheerful as ever, yet somehow more hesitant. He still sounded close, but it was completely dark now it was kind of hard to tell.

_Well duh_, I thought. _It's not like there's much space. _This elevator was larger than the standard for New York, probably because this was a hospital, but it was by no means large.

"So, are you here visiting someone too?" I asked. I've never been great with silences. I'm okay with them sometimes, but usually they feel uncomfortable.

"Nah, just another day's work! Professional hospital room entertainment is just one more of my specialties." He boasted. "What are you in for?"

I grinned, still trying to get back the prickling feeling that had settled in my stomach. "Visiting a friend. She's recovering from appendicitis. Nothing too bad, although I think she could be dying from boredom."

"Or the hospital food," Michelangelo said sounding very serious.

"Heh, yeah, that too." I felt a brief moment of panic when I couldn't think of anything else to say. It was stupid, but I had been feeling this uneasy sense almost all day and now it was amplifying any uncomfortable feeling I had. I just hoped the elevator would be fixed soon.

* * *

See, this was much better right? ;) Lengthwise I mean.

Anyways, please review and leave feedback. I'll see you all on Friday! ;)


	4. Mountain High

Oops, this chapter is just a half an hour too late to be posted on Friday. I was actually busy making Indian food, scaring my friends(an unexpected friend came to the back glass door and pressed a hand against it. At 11:30 pm), and playing the most amazing game of telephone pictionary.

Forgot this last chapter. Thank you to: MissCookiiie, turtleformer66, number1fanficficfan, Savvywolf, StormyNight108, Skipper917, and cheshirekadi for reviewing chapter(s) 2 and/or 3! :D

This chapter is written a bit differently. Hope you like it!

* * *

It was an unusual day when Mikey had a problem with being so close to a cute girl. Okay, that was actually a pretty normal day. Because usually any human, especially females it seemed, had problems being close to him.

His Cowabunga Carl job hadn't even affected that reality all that much. Most of the interactions he had were with kids and their parents.

And yet here he was. Mere feet away. And consciously aware of that.

Of course, that was probably due to the face that they were trapped in an elevator. Not quite the scenario he had imagined. It was actually kind of nerve-wracking. Mikey wasn't sure if meeting her only a couple of days before made things better or worse. All he knew was that it was a funny coincidence meeting her here, and that Mikayla made some pretty awesome cake. Speaking of which…

"I forgot to say thanks for the cake. It was super great!"

It took the girl a second to respond, which is how he knew she was a bit caught off guard at the sudden change in subject. "Hu-Oh!" She let out a short breathy kind of laugh. "You're welcome. I wasn't really sure how it would turn out; birthday cake isn't really my specialty. And I'm pretty sure that Kevin was more interested in the decorative frosting than the actual cake part so that was the only thing I really practiced."

"Ah, the zombie in training," Mikey remarked, rubbing his right shin. It still ached slightly from a too violent tackled that had knocked him against a table.

"Yes…, I suppose it's not very surprising that he likes sugar," the girl said wryly. "I hope there aren't too many "Kevins" in your line of work, at least."

"Not usually," Mikey said somewhat evasively. It was instinctual, the less information the better; evade, evade, evade. "What do you do?"

"School," the girl said. From the slight reluctance in her voice Mikey was sure she would've been making some sort of a face if he could have seen her.

He could understand that. Mikayla looked a year or two younger than his own age of 19, so she was probably talking about high school. Wasn't that supposed to suck or something? His own education hadn't been the most traditional, but he learned enough to know he wasn't a big fan of math. Donnie was always trying to explain the equation behind the statistics.

There was a long silence. Or at least it felt long. The pause felt so much bigger in the darkness.

"I wonder…" She started, and then stopped to clear her throat, "I wonder how long the power will be out for." She was fidgeting with a pen, uncapping it and then recapping. Each time made a sharp sounding click.

"It should be back on soon," Mikey said. "Don't hospitals have backup generators or something?" Click.

"Maybe…Isn't that mostly for the rooms though?" Click. Light footsteps sounded in the darkness walking right past Mikey before coming to a stop. "Do you think the emergency phone still works?" She asked rhetorically, she was already reaching for the phone. There was the slight click of a phone being lifted off of the receiver. And then a blinding flash of light.

* * *

Well, it's another short chapter. :/ I promise that the pattern of the even numbered chapters being short will be broken soon. Hopefully this will tide you guys over ;)

Also I'm leaving for Wisconsin on Tuesday! To work for my uncle for the summer. :D Gotta get packin'! XD


	5. What's Wrong

Don't know if I mentioned this, but Mikayla looks young for her age. And I guess I've officially decided thay Mikey is nineteen? XD Also, this is set during the 2003 series/2007 movie. Partly because I don't quite know how I feel about the new series, but mostly because I've only seen about 10 min of one of the newer episodes XD

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed. :D

* * *

I tensed up the moment I lifted up the phone. It was kind of like that feeling that runs up and down your back when you feel like something's behind you. The feeling that something going to happen, and try as you might, you just can't ignore it.

The sudden flash blinded me. I would have jumped, but somehow I felt like I couldn't move for a moment.

I dropped the pen I had been fiddling with as all the light came on at once. Every one was much brighter than it should have been. The lights flashed off after this brief brightness, and then turned on again at a normal level of light. The elevator shuddered and then started moving downward like normal.

I glanced over at Michelangelo my eyebrows raised. I'm sure I looked at least a little freaked out. The look didn't really connect as well as I intended it to. _Duh, mask_. Ah, why was that throwing me off so much today? At least the power was back on. A nervous sounding giggle escaped from me. _This is feeling more and more awkward._

"Yay…" I said, smiling weakly in an attempt to cover up exactly how awkward I was feeling. I was prayed that I wasn't blushing, something my fair skin seemed to find rather enjoyable given how often it happened. It was something that Christina and I often joked about. Make me happy, I flush, when I'm embarrassed or flustered I blush, when I'm upset I get red. My own special reaction to just about everything that happens in life.

God, how had I ever managed to have a normal conversation with anyone?

The elevator slowed to a stop as it reached the ground floor, slowly and normally this time compared to the jolting fall from before. I was a little relieved once the doors actually opened. "It was nice seeing you again," I said turning as I exited the elevator.

"You too," Michelangelo replied. "Maybe I'll see you around."

I couldn't suppress a smile. "Maybe," I said quietly as I waved goodbye.

The hospital entrance was a little frantic, but not too much more than usual. No one seemed to be too affected by the power outage. I idly wondered how much time had passed. Hopefully I had enough time to take a shower before heading out to an early dinner.

As of this morning, I had intended to not pay all that much attention to my birthday. This year just felt average, all I had planned on doing was spending time with friends at some point during the week.

Despite my intentions the day felt electrified. I was in this strange sort of place when I was honing in on details and noticing everything, while at the same time feeling like I was floating and detached.

I made it home quickly, glad to at least have sometime to relax. I like in a pretty decent apartment, not too far from the college I go to. Actually it's pretty nice. It's fairly large, with three spacious bedrooms, and a small kitchen next to the tiny sitting room. It's an odd layout, but it's a big upgrade from the small, shared room I had in on campus housing last year.

My stepfather insisted on paying for my housing this year. He's very firmly situated in the high end of "middle class", maybe even a bit above it. It was kind of strange at first (this either cost a lot of money up front, or through some pretty heavy bribing), but it's kind of hard for me not to enjoy my room. There's even a tiny little balcony that just barely fits the miniature potted herb garden my mother gave me.

My roommates are nice. Anna is often out and about. She likes to study in coffee shops during the day when she's not at school, but we'll hang out at night when she's around. Our other roommate, Kelsey, is almost never home. Really, she practically lives at her boyfriend's place. I haven't seen her in a month, and Anna and I are seriously considering turning her room into extra storage.

The rest of the day flew by. Dinner was nice, although a bit embarrassing. The place that my stepfather chose for us to eat at was much fancier than I had been expecting and I kept feeling woefully underdressed. My mom kept giving me these long looked, and I was dearly hoping that she wasn't still obsessing about the reading she had done for me earlier in the day. Still, it was nice. Mom and Dennis surprised me some unexpected jewelry and the food was amazing. I was looking forward to having the leftovers for lunch the next day.

I was getting ready for bed when I heard a crash outside. I opening the door to my balcony cautiously and peeked out. Hmmm…one of the street lamps had gone out. I was about to turn away when a movement caught my eye.

It was hard to tell…but, yep, those were definitely people jumping from rooftop to rooftop. Mostly wearing black, but every so often I would catch a flash of red. Well that was certainly shady. I froze, pressing myself as close to the wall as I could when I saw a group of them leap to a balcony a mere single building away. My breath caught in my throat. I didn't know why I was feeling the way I did, but I definitely knew what every instinct in me was screaming out to me. _Danger…_

I tried to breath as infrequently and as quietly as I could as I watched the figures clad in black. I caught some distant murmuring, but I couldn't make out any words. Another sudden burst of movement made me shut my eyes reflexively, and when I looked again all the figures were gone.

I had never worried too much before because my apartment was pretty high off the ground. What had just happened put me on edge though. That's probably why I jumped when I heard a thud from within the apartment.

I grabbed my cell, dialing 911 and hovering my thumb over the call button, just in case. Maybe I was being paranoid, but it made me feel a little bit better about investigating the noise. It sounded like it had come from Kelsey's room, and in all honesty she could have just snuck back home. Doubtful, but still a possibility.

I crept towards her room cautiously, fumbling along the wall for the hallway light switch. When I got to Kelsey's room I knocked, and then turned the handle slowly, opening the door suddenly after that.

Nothing.

The box where we had been placing all of Kelsey's mail, messages, and packages had just fallen off her bed. I chided myself mentally, exiting out of the call menu on my phone. The window was open too, I noticed. Kelsey's room had the biggest window in the house, and while it wasn't unusual for it to be open to improve airflow through the house, I thought it had been closed for the night.

I went to close it now. There was a noticeable dent on the edge, something that I couldn't remember seeing before. I traced the slightly bent edge absentmindedly, there was a small shiny patch of new metal when the old had worn away. It really wasn't anything big, but I was surprised I hadn't noticed it before. The window also seemed to be stuck. I pulled on it as hard as I could and it finally started to move with a loud creak and a pop.

Still, things didn't go quite as planned.

The window was still partially open, and that was because somehow I had plowed the window right off the tracks and halfway into the wall.

* * *

Aaaaand, now we're getting somewhere. Wow, I really have to stop with these cliffhangers. XP It really wasn't my intention, it kind of just happened. Oops.

Also, I'm in Wisconsin now! :D Today was my day off so I went with a friend off the island(yes, I am in fact living on an island in Wisconsin. True story) to grocery shop, and right after I post this I'll probably head down to where I work and try to pick up a couple more hours because it was really busy today. I'm hoping to update more soon, but I haven't had much time to write lately. So I'll see you guys on Friday!


	6. All You Need

Hmmm, I think I like this chapter. :)

Oops, forgot this last chapter(Again! :O ) And today I almost forgot it was Friday! XD

Thank you to: cheshirekadi, MissCookiiie, Skipper917, CGKrows, Savvywolf, number1fanficfan, and Mikell.

* * *

I stepped back from the window, grabbing on to the first thing I could find to support myself and reassure myself with something solid. I thought I had reached toward one of the metal supports on Kelsey's bed, but I must have misjudged my placement in her room.

I jerked my hand back when my hand landed on something moldable, kind of like clay. When I looked over to see what it had been, I saw that it actually was one of the metal poles that were on all four corners of the bed. Was being the key word. What had previously been a smooth round ball was now misshapen and crushed.

I felt sick.

It had already been late when…whatever that was had happened. I had fixed up the window as best and as quickly as I could. (Plastic wrap and duck tape ended up being a fast, if unattractive solution). And then I tried to go to sleep.

The constant churning in my stomach made this impossible. It wasn't even that it was surprising. Part of me wasn't all that surprised. It felt like something that I had long suspected had come true, and that made this even more concerning. I tossed and turned all night. The few hours of sleep I had didn't make me feel rested at all.

At 4:06 I finally got up to take a shower and start the day. I peaked into the room for the twentieth time this morning and by this point the disappointment that the broken window and crushed metal were still there barely even registered.

I was rummaging through the kitchen looking for something to nibble on, if only to distract myself. I looked doubtfully at a box of crackers, but set it back down as I heard a knock at the door.

"Mom?" I asked blearily. Why was she standing outside my door?  
"I brought a couple more things," she said with a wink. "Just a couple extra things. Surprise!" She walked in with several bags, the smallest was shoved at me immediately.

I looked inside. Yum. Breakfast. While usually welcome, I still wasn't ready to eat anything.

"I'll put them in Kelsey's room and you can look at them later." Even my mother had caught on to our tendency to use Kelsey's room for storage. "I have to get going, Jake called in sick so I have to open…the store...today…"

Mind working slower than usual, I had remember that I should probably not let my mom into Kelsey's room just as she started her second sentence. I was much to far away to stop her at that point, so I could only rush into the room after her and brace myself.

"Kay… what happened here?" She turned towards me slowly after scanning both the window and bedframe. She didn't look surprised or worried. She just looked…older than usual, eyes weary and resigned.

I couldn't think of anything to say. There was no excuse I could use that sounded even close to being plausible.

I wasn't expecting her to smile, sad though her smile might have been. "I suppose its time I told you some things. About you, about me, and about your father," she said, eyes clouded with long buried memories.

Today was certainly one for revelations.

* * *

It had been a long night for Michelangelo Hamato. The Foot had been relentless, and there had been way more of them then they could handle. Running into them right after an ambush by the Purple Dragons was just plain old bad luck.

Donnie's arm had been cut pretty early in the run in with the Foot, so Leo had made a **Decision** to look for cover. Even Raph had realized the danger and had gone along without as much of an argument as usual.

So it was, of course, up to the Battle Nexus Champion to find an empty apartment window that was not only partially open, but also big enough to fit through(the faint creaking from the window frame as Raph's shell went through didn't count).

But now the lair was all tense and moody.

Leo was mad at Raph for rushing into fight, Mikey for being too casual about the whole thing, and himself for not preventing this whole mess (Donnie's wound had gotten him off scot-free). This was in addition to be all silently moody about the Foot in general.

Raph was mad at…ok, Raph was just mad. Mostly at Leo, but it was best to stay away from him when he was like that, even if it did make him more fun and easier to provoke. Actually Raph had probably gone topside once again, which was sure to be super fun once Leo found out.

Don was staying out of things, and he was also preoccupied with stitching up his own arm.

So this was the perfect time for pizza. If you thought about it, it solved everything! It was the best thing to have for…lunch…or dinner, or whatever meal actually corresponded to 5:30 in the morning based upon the backwards sleep schedule that they lived by. It was also great for breakfast. People were irritated on an empty stomach (at least, Raph was…but he was kind of a hard one to judge irritation off of), so obviously being full made people not-angry.

Leo being mad at him for going topside wasn't a problem, 'cause how could anyone be mad at something that resulted in pizza? And Mikey's favorite pizza place was open 24/7, made awesome pizza, and wasn't phased by shady looking, pizza hungry visitors.

At this time, even though it was still dark out, his Cowabunga Carl costume was safest. Daylight could sneak up you, and his work uniform actually stood out less than the usual trench coat, hat, and gloves.

"Here to pick up a Meat Lover's, a Maui Rumble, and a Pesto Veggie." Mikey said with a flourish once he arrived at the store. The sleepy looking brunette at the register must have been the girl he talked to on the phone. She definitely didn't mutter up as much enthusiasm as he had.

"I have a…Meat Lover's….Pesto Veggie….and a Chicken Florentine?" She seemed to wake up a little. "This order is for a…Mike, right?"

Mikey nodded, it was close enough, and the mistake wasn't all that unusual.

The brunette looked at the order a little more urgently. "I think…I must have written down the wrong order number. They're right next to each other. Let me go talk to my manager." She returned quickly, biting her lip. "I'm sorry, but it's going to take another 20 minutes. I screwed up the order numbers…but we can throw in the Chicken Florentine at no extra charge!"

Mikey shrugged. "Sure." The girl looked a little more relieved. And really it wasn't too difficult to make the decision. Thing 1: Pizza was pizza. Thing 2: At this point the best strategy for dealing with Leo was avoidance. Thing 3: More pizza was always better than less pizza. Okay, maybe that last one was pretty much the same as the first, but everything still pointed to the same thing. And 20 minutes? Pshhaw, Mikey had long been a master at the fine art of entertaining, and that included entertaining himself. Now he just needed to find something to do.

He scanned the small dinning area. There weren't too many other people in the building. A group of guys, an older couple, and a lone auburn haired girl who distractedly drew shapes on the tablecloth with her fingers.

"Mikayla?"

* * *

So this story does have elements of fantasy in it….although nothing that isn't already in TMNT XD. I've always been in love with fantasy, and I want to explore a whole array of different strengths to give my characters. So….just let me know what you think? I'll see you next Friday!


	7. On The Street

Thank you so much to everyone who's reviewed ;) I worked until 6:30 and then had a dinner party right after until 10 or so, so I didn't have time to post until now. I'll thank everyone by name next chapter, but I'm suuuuper tired now. Hope you guys like the chapter. :)

* * *

I had listened to my mom's story quietly. At first I had asked questions, exclaimed my disbelief, but as she went on I became more and more silent. And once she had finished I had gotten up and left.

I wasn't even sure where I was walking at first. At least I had actual clothes on, although I doubted I would have even noticed if not for the cold. Dressed I may have been, the shorts and t-shirt that were comfortable in my house where I could always huddle with a blanket for warmth were a little less suited for the early morning chill.

My brisk pace kept me warm for a little while, but now I was starting to really feel the chill. I starting glancing around for somewhere to take warmth and ducked into the first place that I saw.

A pizza place open at 5:30 in the morning. It wasn't as bizarre as one might think. This was the city that never sleeps after all, and every neighborhood had its restaurants that took advantage of that fact. While some were exclusively open during the dark hours, most simply expanded their hours to all day and night.

It was nice to step into the warm shop. There were only a few other people inside, and that made the small space seem comforting rather than claustrophobic. My eyes wandered over the menu on the wall and I realized I should probably buy something if I was going to be here long.

Of course I didn't have my wallet. Just my keys and my cell phone… My fingers brushed something papery as I rummaged through my pockets. A ten-dollar bill! Finally some good had come from forgetting to empty my pockets. Maybe this would make up for all the chapstick that had been ruined by a run through the laundry.

I figured that a cookie and a bottle of water would be enough to buy me some time here. Actually I probably could have gotten away with less, the girl at the counter seemed pretty tired when I was ordering.

I took shelter in a corner booth. Truth be told, I really wasn't all that hungry. I took tiny sips of water and slowly began reducing the cookie to crumbs. I knew I should be trying to figure everything out, but procrastination had always come so much more naturally to me. I began tracing patterns on the tablecloth, frowning as I starting seeing cracked windows and wings in my mind's eye. I settled for circles and swirls, those at least seemed harmless.

"Mikayla?" A voice called out.

I looked up to see Michelangelo standing in front of me. And kept looking. _What? _my mind was saying very slowly and very confusedly. Wow, I was really tired. "Michelangelo…" My voice raised in pitch very slightly at the end of the name making it not quite a question. "Um, hi…," I gestured vaguely at the seat on the other side of the booth.

He did sit, rather cheerfully in fact. "You can just call me Mikey," he informed me. "It's better than Michelangelo." I nodded mutely as he continued. "What are you waiting for?"

_Answers _was my first thought. It took me a moment to collect my thought enough to realize the actual question that Mikey had asked. "Oh, nothing really. I just needed to get out and think about things. Obviously not prepared for the cold," This time I gestured to the t-shirt and shorts I was wearing. "And this was the first place I saw where I could pop in and get warm for a little while," I grinned, but I was worried it looked a little forced.

"But how could you resist one of the best pizza places in the city?" Mikey asked in mock horror. But then his tone became serious. "Everything okay? You can talk to me if you want."

I thought about his offer. It would be nice to speak my thoughts and worries about my situation to someone who wasn't twisted up in it. Still, there was no way I could explain the actual problem. I had to put a spin on things…

"Actually, I'm working on a story. It's a…fantasy story of sorts. About a girl who discovers something that could change her life."

* * *

Yep, the chapter is still kind of short….I'm guessing you all are ok with the fantasy elements that will soon be here. Reviews will be greatly appreciated (The last couple days have been a bit difficult) Luckily the hardest thing about posting this chapter was coming up with a chapter title. (Anyone know what song the chapter titles come from? It actually doesn't have much to do with the story, but I do like it.)


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